exclaimedleech8
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Back in 2010, researchers in France discovered new polymers called Vitrimers. By heating them to a certain temperature, Tg, they became easily moldable, but when cooled became hard and stiff. But, here's the cool part, if they sustained damage, they merely had to be heated to a different temperature, Tv, and they would return to their old shape, in other words, they could self heal.
They're already being commercialized. But let's put that to the side for a moment
Researchers are also working on "artificial muscles" that can move parts without the cost, weight, and complexity of conventional actuators. One promising way to do this is by taking carbon nanotubes and spinning them into yarns. Scientists as the University of Texas Dallas are doing just that and have managed to make muscles with greater power output per kg than a V8 diesel engine! These work just like our own muscles by using a flow of ions to create movement.
If we combine these two, we'd have a material that can change shape on demand and, with the application of heat from the carbon nanotubes, self heal. Furthermore, assembling them would be easy. They would just need to be properly cut and then by programming the desired shape it would fold accordingly into position.
For aircraft, the impacts are staggering. Wings would not need heavy and complicated hinged flaps, they would simply fold; the carbon nanotubes would heat the vitrimers above Tg making them rubber like and then change shape and cool down into the new position. Where today fuselages have to be circular to evenly distribute the forces of pressurization, in the future more squared off shapes could be used, any fatigue that occurs would be automatically healed by heating the vitrimers above Tv. This way, the fuselage itself could generate lift, allowing for smaller wings that create less drag.
Even inside, the seats could be made of the same material, meticulously conforming to your body shape. They would be far more comfortable than today's airline seats while being as thin as hammocks, which would mean quite a lot more leg room!
They're already being commercialized. But let's put that to the side for a moment
Researchers are also working on "artificial muscles" that can move parts without the cost, weight, and complexity of conventional actuators. One promising way to do this is by taking carbon nanotubes and spinning them into yarns. Scientists as the University of Texas Dallas are doing just that and have managed to make muscles with greater power output per kg than a V8 diesel engine! These work just like our own muscles by using a flow of ions to create movement.
If we combine these two, we'd have a material that can change shape on demand and, with the application of heat from the carbon nanotubes, self heal. Furthermore, assembling them would be easy. They would just need to be properly cut and then by programming the desired shape it would fold accordingly into position.
For aircraft, the impacts are staggering. Wings would not need heavy and complicated hinged flaps, they would simply fold; the carbon nanotubes would heat the vitrimers above Tg making them rubber like and then change shape and cool down into the new position. Where today fuselages have to be circular to evenly distribute the forces of pressurization, in the future more squared off shapes could be used, any fatigue that occurs would be automatically healed by heating the vitrimers above Tv. This way, the fuselage itself could generate lift, allowing for smaller wings that create less drag.
Even inside, the seats could be made of the same material, meticulously conforming to your body shape. They would be far more comfortable than today's airline seats while being as thin as hammocks, which would mean quite a lot more leg room!
